Thursday, March 20, 2014

Quebec Aces: 1967-68 AHL Offensive Powerhouse

The Quebec Aces were nearly their twilight as an American
Hockey League franchise in 1967-68. In just a few short years, the team would
move south to Richmond, Virginia. The Aces placed second overall in the eight
team AHL and reached the Calder Cup finals that year. Leading the way
offensively were a trio of players that finished among the top four in the
league for scoring. Two were on their way up to the NHL while the third well
into his career and had hit a bit of a speed bump.

Simon Nolet

Nolet scored 44 goals and assisted on 52 for 96 points over
70 regular season games for Quebec in 1967-68. He placed second in the league
for goals and led in points, earning the John
B. Sollenberger Trophy. That year, Simon also got into four regular season
games with the Philadelphia Flyers, along with one game in the Stanley Cup
playoffs.

Before retiring after the 1976-77 season, Simon Nolet
played in 562 regular season and 34 playoff games in the National Hockey League
with the Philadelphia Flyers, Kansas City Scouts, Pittsburgh Penguins and
Colorado Rockies. He won a Stanley Cup with Philadelphia in 1973-74 and was
picked up that same summer by the Scouts, fifth overall in the 1974 NHL
Expansion Draft. Simon was team captain in Kansas City during the 1974-75
season and part of 1975-76 before being traded to the Penguins. For his short
stay with the Rockies in 1976-77, Nolet once again wore the ‘C’.

Andre Lacroix

Lacroix spent more time with the Flyers in the NHL during
the 1967-68 season and subsequently appeared in just 54 games for the Aces
during the regular season. Even still, his 41 goals tied him for sixth with
Howie Glover of the Cleveland Barons and he tied teammate Jean-Guy Gendron for
third in points with 87.

It was Andre’s second full year of pro hockey and he
finished off the year with Philadelphia, playing in 18 games and contributing a
decent 14 points. In the Stanley Cup playoffs, Lacroix played another seven
games, adding five points.

Andre was not far removed from being a two-time MVP in the
OHA with the Peterborough Petes and still stands one of a handful of players to
win the Red Tilson Trophy on more than one occasion. Lacroix would go on to
become one of the greatest players in WHA history, winning the Bill
Hunter Trophy as scoring champ on two occasions, once with the Philadelphia
Blazers in 1972-73 and again with the San Diego Mariners in 1974-75.

Andre
Lacroix played 325 regular season games in the National Hockey League with
the Flyers, Chicago Blackhawks and Hartford Whalers. His time with the Whalers
came in 1979-80 when the remaining four WHA teams merged with the NHL. Andre
played 551 regular season games in the rebel league with the Blazers, New York
Golden Blades, Mariners, Houston Aeros and New England Whalers.

Jean-Guy Gendron

In his fourth year with the Aces, Gendron scored 29 and
assisted on 58 for 87 points over 72 regular season games. He placed second in
the AHL for assists and tied Andre Lacroix for third in points. Like the other
two, he did spend time in the NHL with the Flyers that season. However,
Jean-Guy’s time was limited to one regular season game.

Gendron’s NHL career began in 1955-56 and he played in 863
regular season and 42 playoff games before jumping to the WHA after the 1971-72
season. Along with the Flyers, Jean-Guy also played for the New York Rangers,
Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens. He ended his career with two years as
team captain of the Quebec Nordiques in the World Hockey Association, 1972-73
and 1973-74.

Quebec Aces 1967-68

The Vic Stasiuk coached Aces finished second in the four
team West Division and second overall in the eight team AHL with 77 points over
72 games. They reached the Calder Cup finals before falling to the Rochester
Americans in six games. Interestingly, over the three rounds of playoffs,
Quebec scored 55 goals and allowed 55 goals. In the opening round against the
Buffalo Bisons, each team scored 21 goals. In the 2nd round against
the Providence
Reds, the Aces had the edge 13-10. In the finals, the Amerks outscored
Quebec 24-21.

The Quebec Aces were members of the American Hockey League
from 1959-60 to 1970-71, although the franchise dates back to 1928-29. Upon
moving south, they were known as the Richmond Robins from 1971-72 to 1975-76
before folding. The Aces never won a Calder Cup championship but went to the
finals three times over their fairly brief history.